Hello friend.

Happy Monday to you, from sunny Tucson. I pray that you might be safe and dry, wherever you lay your head. In lieu of the unfortunate ongoing climate challenges folks down south are dealing with, especially in Florida and the Carribean island nations, I send a special warm, shout out to all the people affected. I can't imagine what many of those poor folks are going through, and I hope I never do. 

 Hurricane Irma followed Harvey so fast, that it almost seems like those folks in Texas just faded away from the national scene, but their need is just as urgent as it was the first day after they were hit. One thing about natural disasters; they don't discriminate. People who unfortunately live in their path of distruction, all get the same treatment, regaurdless of their age, skin color, nationality, or economic status, to name just a few. 

 We have seen many different issues divide this nation lately, all well publized, over the air waves. But there is nothing like a hurricane or earthquake, to bring the best out of humans, and compel us to drop our petty differences, and help our fellow man and neighbors in their time of need. It is unfortunate that it has to come to that at times, but it's good to see that it does.

 I am still contemplating a mini tour to Houston, and now possibly Florida, to help with the rebuilding process. I could use the money as well, with my upcoming publishing cost just around the corner. It will definately come in handy, and I'm getting excited about traveling and writing stories about those people whose lives have been impacted by these events.

 On a different topic, I mentioned last week that I had been invited to parcipitate in a group called Storytellers, that gathers every month to share real life storys. The format is in front of a audience of friends and family, with a ten minute span to tell your personal tale. I was excited to be able to share my Gigs adventure to a new group of people, but with over fifty stops and sixty jobs, covering almost a year, it was hard to choose one to tell. I wasn't nervous as some of the others were to stand up on stage in front of a crowd, especially since I've done some public speaking in the past. My part went well and I kept the audience loose and laughing through most of my story. I chose to share my very first gig stop in Phoenix, and made it as vivid and interesting as I could, all in an attempt to lure even more book buyers in the future.

 After the event, many of the audience members came over to thank me and congratulate me for sharing my adventure. Obviously, I directed them to this website, and encouraged them to visit the many more stories and pictures that made up the one year journey, that many of you are familiar with. One man in particular told me I was very funny, and suggested I should think about doing stand up at Laff's comedy club. I told him I had worked the open mic circut in the Waikiki clubs years back, and then he really insisted I come down for a crack at our local club. I replied that I had alot on my plate at this time, but maybe after I completed my gigs first edtion, I might stop in for a set. Stay tuned for that development!

 Well friends, it's time to sign off once again. Gracias for your time and support and take care, until next week!

Juanjohn

Hello friends,

Happy Labor day, plus one. I hope all are well, wherever you call home. Also a special shout out to the folks affected by last weeks Hurrricane Harvey in the Gulf coast. Unfortunately there is  another tropical system churning in the Atlantic, and heading for Florida, after it hits the Carribean, starting tomorrow. This hurricane is named Irma, and is forcasted to be even more dangerous than Havey. I pray for a last minute turn, thus avoiding another Texas style senerio

 Here in Arizona, it may be hot and dry, but natural disasters, especially climate related occurances are rare. Good for me, since Iv'e had enough personal distractions this summer, although paling in comparison to any tragedies that folks are suffering on a gobal level. My transportation issues seem to be fixed for now, having just purchased a used Toyota Seqouia to replace the gigs mobile, and finally getting my old Ford legal and road worthy. My little incident with my neighbor, I wrote about last week, has been settled, thanks to Geico and the little green lizard. I thought I was going to have to pay a huge out of pocket deductable, but in the end, I was spared from any upfront money. So I took the little money I had, and put it down on the Toyota. Two insurance claims in three month is not good.

 On a good note, I have been invited to share part of my journey with a local storytelling group that meets every month. The group picks a different theme every session and assembles a few storytellers to share thier own personal stories. It is a public setting and they usaully gather well over a hundred people. This month it is taking place at the new YWCA in town, and were expecting a larger crowd. I'm having trouble choosing which of my over fifty plus stories I have ready to share. I have only fifteen minutes to speak, and that is not nearly enough time for me to even get warmed up! Once they give me the mic, they will have to tackle me in order to retrieve it! 

 Seriously, I'm thrilled they invited me to talk about my adventure. It can only give my upcoming book even more exposure, especially on the local level. I hope I have the oppurtunity to do more public appearences in the future, and I want to thank my friend Tony Paniagua, from the local NPR station, for making it possible for me to attend.

 Speaking of hurricane Havey, I have been thinking of packing my tools once gain, and heading to the disaster area for a few months. I will be done with my gigs manuscript by the end of the month, and then send it off for editing, before publishing. The area is barely getting dry now, then the massive clean up follows next. Sometime in October the rebuilding will go into full force, and thats when they will require a tremenduos amount of skilled workers like me. I thought about doing like a mini gigs tour through the devastated region and working and posting from different towns and cities. It's just an idea for now, but there is more to it than that, and I will let you know more as time goes by. 

 So once again friends, I end with a huge thanks and humbleness, that you take a few minutes of your busy day to check in with the Johnny Man. Have a good week and take care.

Juanjohn

Good evening friends,

happy Monday this last week of August. I am doing okay, and I hope you are as well. I had another mishap this week, but it pales in comparision with the tragedy that the Gulf Coast folks are experiancing as I write you. Hit hard is the state of Texas, especially Houston and the surrounding cites and towns. Hurricane Harvey moved in this weekend and continues to wreak havoc along a wide area of the Gulf. My heart goes out to all those poor people in their time of need.

 As for me, I continue to struggle with the distractions that keep popping up every week it seems. Getting in a place where I can focus soley on my book writing has definately been a challenge for me as of late. I'm still reeling from the loss of my beloved Gigs mobile from last month, which has put a big dent in my ability to preform my contracting work on a consistant basis. I just got over a lung infection that wore me out earlier this month, and now my old 67' Ford truck is costing me more money once again, this time in the most unexpected way.

  I had mentioned before, the loss of my main truck forced me to bring that old beast out of retirement, to fill the void. It is not meant to be an everyday vehicle, and after catching on fire back in June, I decided to put it on the shelf indefinitely. After my accident and Geico's decision to total the G.M. I had to spend lots of money to get it road worthy once again, until I am able to purchase another truck.To make matters worse, it still needs lots more work, and every day I leave home, I pray that it will make it through the day.

 Last Tuesday I was getting ready to leave for day, when things went from bad to terrible. We live on a hillside here in the west side of town, on a corner lot, facing a east-west row of houses. Now this old boy has trouble starting each morning, due to a faulty choke. I have been simply throwing it in neutral, and popping the clutch as it rolls down hill in order to start it. Nothing that unusual for a manual tranny from yesteryear.

 The day before I decided to place a big rock in front of the rear tire as I sometimes do, since I have to park it in front of the house, in order to to able to get it rolling down hill each day. The problem was that the rock I used was smaller than normal and I couldn't remove it, despite using my pike and prybar to lodge it free. I was stuck. My sister was leaving for work as well, and I called her over for some help. I had what I thought was a good idea, and put the truck in neutral, hoping to push the beast up hill a few inches, until Angela could remove the lodged rock. That was the dumbest idea I had all year! As soon as big sis pulled out the boulder, I felt the entire weight of the beast coming at me as I tried to hold back the 6,000 lb. tank from the hood of the truck. I quickly yelled; "Put it back, hurry, hurry!"

 Big sis tried her best to reset the rock as it rolled forward, but it proved to be a dangerous proposition for her, the wheels are huge and the risk of getting seriouly hurt was present. We had to do something, once it becme apparent that wasn't going to work. The beast was gaining speed and I had seconds to react quickly. I quit trying to hold it back with my meager 194 lbs and decided to swing around the drivers side and hop inside hoping to slam on the brakes and put it back in gear, in order to avoid disaster.

 Unfortunately for me, my 55 year old body reacted like, well; like a 55 year old body. As soon as I grabbed the door handle from the moving truck, I slipped and fell, losing any oppurtunity to avert a bad ending. I jumped right up as fast as I could, but with no one to slow it down, the beast just barreled forward towards the neighbors front driveway. Angela and I just haplessly chased the runaway beast until it smashed into the carport directly in it's path.

The good news is no one was hurt, and the truck distributed the impact on both sides, one side at the parked vehichle and the other at the left entrance of the structure. I was expecting the owners to come out and demand an obvious explaination, but no one did, despite seeing the lady of the house outside only minutes before. I told big sis to head to work, no need for her to be late also, and that I would take it from there. I walked over to the front door and knocked a few times, but no one came out. I had to remove the beast out of these people's driveway, so I asked a couple of landscapers who were working two houses down for some assistance. By the time we put the truck back on the street, the lady came out to see the mess I had created.

 Luckly for me, these folks are really cool, and totally understood that it was just a freak, or dumb accident. We exchanged insurance information and both agreed that it was not worth getting all worked up about. The main thing they said was that no one was injured, except for a nasty bit of road rash on my left knee from the fall and a serverely bruised and embarrassed ego on my part. I don't know what the out of pocket cost for me will be once all dust settles, but I surely didnt need another setback or distraction. I truly dodged a bullet, realizing that there could have been alot worse damage and I could have smashed into folks home who were not as understanding as these good neighbors are.

 I don't believe in luck, as I have said before, but after these past few weeks, I'm beginning to wonder. What I do believe, is that 's*** happens to everyone, at one one time or another. I will get this book written, no matter what; that you can believe friends.

 Have a good week, thanks for checking in, and continuing to support me all the way to publication!

Juanjohn